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1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of call processing systems, and in particular, to a system that routes calls to a call center.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Call processing is a key component to companies looking to compete in rapidly growing global markets. Call processing is essential to companies for entering sales orders, furnishing product or service information, and providing customer service. The increasing number of calls handled by a call center and the need for expanding service to new geographic regions introduce new demands to call center processing. In order to meet these demands, companies are increasing their number of call centers to provide better customer service such as extended hours of operations and service agents fluent in the caller""s native language. One call center could provide for continuous operating hours and a diverse array of foreign language agents. However, constraints such as graveyard shifts and lack of ethnic diversity in a certain geographic region make a one call center solution difficult. Other solutions such as different xe2x80x9c800xe2x80x9d numbers based on language or hours of operations are confusing to the consumer and thus impractical. Greater number of call centers can also improve customer service by reducing queuing times through diverting calls to less occupied call centers.
A flexible and robust call processing solution with an expansive network of call centers is needed. An important factor in providing an operable solution is to minimize costs. Simplifying each call center down to the service agent assists in reducing costs and implementation times. Less implementation of call processing equipment can further reduce unneeded costs. In the event that a call center becomes impaired, the call processing solution should be flexible enough to route calls to alternate call centers. Implementation of new call processing schemes should be uniform and rapid across the network of call centers. Companies also require usage and call information to monitor call centers usage and improve future call processing designs. Ultimately, companies need greater freedom to employ their own provisioning, managing, and billing tools for their call centers.
One current system uses a telephone circuit switch to receive calls and signaling into a network. The telephone circuit switch processes the called number to generate and transmit a first query to a Service Control Point (SCP). The SCP processes the first query to generate a second query to a routing processor at a call center. The routing processor at the call center responds to the SCP with routing information, and the SCP responds to the telephone circuit switch with the routing information. The telephone circuit switch then extends the call to another telephone circuit switch connected to the call center based on the routing information. This other telephone circuit switch then transfers the call to the call center over a dedicated Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) line, such as an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) connection. This transfer includes a transfer of the called number. Routing equipment at the call center must process the called number to internally route the call to the destination within the call center. This system is deficient because it forces the routing equipment at the call center to handle dialed number processing. It also does not allow the efficient utilization of packet-based transport technologies.
Another current system uses a telephone circuit switch to receive calls and signaling into a network. The telephone circuit switch processes the called number to generate and transmit a first query to a Service Control Point (SCP). The SCP responds to the telephone circuit switch with the routing information. The telephone circuit switch then extends the call to a service platform using Extended Superframe (ESF) or ISDN connections. The service platform processes the called number to generate a second query to a routing processor at a call center. The routing processor at the call center responds to the service platform with routing information. The service platform then extends the call to another telephone circuit switch connected to the call center based on the routing information. This other telephone circuit switch then transfers the call to the call center over a dedicated TDM line, such as an ESF connection or an ISDN connection. This transfer includes a transfer of the called number. Routing equipment at the call center must process the called number to internally route the call to the destination within the call center. This system is deficient because it forces the routing equipment at the call center to handle dialed number processing. It also does not allow the efficient utilization of packet-based transport technologies.
The invention solves the above problem by providing integrated broadband call processing that uses a call center resource processor to determine how to route calls to the call center. The invention includes a call center resource processor that receives an address query from a communications system for the absolute address of a call center resource. The xe2x80x9cabsolutexe2x80x9d address is a hardware address of a device used to initially answer the call at the call center. The absolute address is contained in packets for the call. Some examples of absolute addresses are a port identifier, Media Access Control (MAC) layer address, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) address. The absolute address does not require translation at the call center to identify the answering devices. In contrast, telephone numbers require translation to identify a terminating point or telephone. The call center resource processor processes the address query to identify the absolute address for the call center resource. After identifying the absolute address, the call center resource processor generates an address response with the absolute address for the call center resource. The call center resource processor transmits the address response with the absolute address from the call center resource processor for the communications system to route the call using the absolute address. In one embodiment, the invention identifies the call center resource by which call center resource is available and capable to handle the call.
The invention allows the call center and communications network to efficiently utilize packet-based transport technologies. This results in the elimination of complex routing equipment at the call center site. Routing can now be passive at the call center resource level since the call can be routed directly to the service agent or voice response unit based on the absolute address. Any address translation such as dialed number processing at the call center resource level can be removed.
Another advantage from utilizing packet-based transport technologies is the reduction of routing equipment for separate data lines for service data. Service data is data associated with the call or data derived from the call. Some examples of service data include caller name and address, service scripts, or other screen pop information. In a screen pop operation, service data such as customer profile and product and service information pops up on the agent""s computer when the agent receives the incoming call. Because the call processing system already has the absolute address for the call, the invention can now transmit the service data in data packets using the absolute address over the same line as the call. Therefore, separate, dedicated routing equipment for service data is eliminated at the call center resource level.
The invention allows telephone companies to provide a flexible and robust call processing system to companies requiring call center services. Removing the call processing at the call center site level and centralizing the call processing at a call center resource processing level satisfies many of the call center companies"" needs. A centralized call center resource processor can monitor call center for overuse and redirect calls to underutilized call centers. The invention provides one phone number access to multiple call centers with increased hours of operations and foreign language agents. Centralization to a call center resource processor will also reduce implementation times of new call center processing designs by eliminating implementations at each call center site. The centralized call center resource processor provides greater flexibility to companies to configure their call processing based on their needs.
The invention may also provide absolute, real-time usage information for the call to the call center resource processor. The call center resource processor can record service data and call information, while also monitoring call center resource availability and bottlenecks. This information can then be used as a basis for new center processing designs and decisions regarding usage of call center processing.